Ugandan Chimpanzee Ambassadors

A collaborative effort to save chimps from extinction

The Chimpanzee Sanctuary & Wildlife Conservation Trust (CSWCT) was established in 1998 as a non-governmental organization to promote the understanding, appreciation and conservation of the chimpanzees and their habitats. The trust manages Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Uganda that is currently offering welfare to 44 orphaned chimpanzees.

In 2009, the Chimpanzee Sanctuary initiated a community based chimpanzee habitat monitoring system where 25 community based men and women were recruited to carry out conservation activities in 12 areas. The monitored area forms part of a chimpanzee corridor that stretches 150km between Bugoma and Budongo forest reserves. This area has a chimpanzee population of about 299 individuals thriving on private land.

The goal of this program is to ensure that this area, rich in biodiversity, is conserved through constant monitoring, creation of positive community attitudes and developing the reforestation/land management skills of private land owners.

By monitoring Chimpanzees the sanctuary is able to investigate the cause of Chimpanzee habitat destruction as well as the effects this destruction has on the animals. With this data, the Ugandan Chimpanzee Ambassadors are able to work with local communities creating awareness of how important chimpanzees are to the environment, and educating them on how to coexist with these animals.

Blank Park Zoo has recently teamed up with these amazing ambassadors to ensure they have the supplies necessary to protect these rich lands and their inhabitants. Everyday items such as hiking boots, socks, backpacks, bikes for transportation, notebooks, first aid kits, watches and cameras, are not readily available, but are important to the success of this project. With your help we can ensure that they have the proper gear and equipment they need to focus their energy on monitoring the chimpanzees and educating the public.

To learn more about how you can help to provide some of these vital materials to Ugandans Chimpanzee Ambassadors contact Blank Park Zoo Conservation Coordinator, Jessie Lowry at jrlowry (at) blankparkzoo (dot) org.